St Laurence Education Trust

Mr Robin Burdell was educated at Ampleforth College (1969-1976) and is a retired independent school bursar, now working as a freelance consultant bursar. Previous posts include Head of Finance and Marketing Appointments for RSAcademics Ltd, Director of Finance and Operations for Worth School and Finance Director for Worth Abbey; Business Director and Secretary to the Board of Truro School; Director of Finance and Estates at Nottingham High School; and Head of Finance and Administration and Company Secretary at Stanford Hall Enterprises Ltd. He has served on the Independent School Bursars’ Association (ISBA) Executive Committee, Chairman of the ISBA General Purposes Committee, and on the Board of the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). Robin Burdell is a qualified Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (FCMA) and a Member of Chartered Global Management Accountants (CGMA).

Meg Baines, Cert Ed BA MBA NPQH FRSA, is a retired head teacher who lives with her husband in North Yorkshire. Currently Vice Chair of Governors of a state secondary school and a Diocesan Section 48 Inspector for Middlesbrough, Hexham & Newcastle and Leeds & Bradford Dioceses, she was previously an ISI Section 5 Inspector. Meg was a teacher for 38 years in both state and independent schools across the country. She began her career in 1977 at St Augustine's School, Scarborough, moving to Leeds, Bromley and Crystal Palace where she spent the last 10 years as head of an independent Prep School. Meg has a wide range of teaching experiences and had success as a teacher of PE, RE and History in Walthamstow, Ilford and Bromley. Meg gained an MBA in educational management from Leicester University before becoming deputy head teacher in an all boys school in Ilford. Previously a governor on a number of governing bodies in Sussex and London, Meg was designated safeguarding lead and has recently completed head appraisal training with North Yorkshire County Council. Meg was a member of Independent Schools Association Council for 6 years, representing London South and remains an honorary member. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) since 2005, Meg is keenly interested in educational innovation. She retired from teaching in 2015, but remains a section 48 Inspector and was recommissioned by the Bishop of Middlesbrough in November 2018. Meg is an active member of the parish community, a mother of three grown up children, a doting grandparent and an avid amateur detectorist. 

Barbara Matthews was educated in the United States and moved to the United Kingdom in 1988.  Her career has been spent first in law, as international counsel in both the steel and offshore oil and gas industries, working for FT 100 and Fortune 500 companies negotiating contracts throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East.  Secondly, in 2007 Barbara moved into politics as political assistant to the Conservative Group on the City of York Council.  From 2010-16 she was a non-executive director for one of the region’s largest NHS mental health providers.  Barbara’s daughter was educated through the Ampleforth system, including St Martin’s Nawton, SMA and the College.  She has been married to David since 1988 and her interests include politics, literature and equestrian sports.

Chief Executive Officer of Ryedale Learning Trust (local Multi-Academy Trust and approved Academy Sponsor.) Former Executive head Teacher Ryedale Federation and Head Teacher Ryedale School. Former DSL at Ryedale School.

Martha was educated at Mayfield School before reading law at Downing College, Cambridge.  Her years in practice as a solicitor began in London and she lived in both India and Hong Kong doing a variety of contentious and non-contentious work across a number of jurisdictions.  She was a Governor of Orwell Park School in Suffolk for ten years, latterly as the Safeguarding Governor. She is currently a Trustee of and Chair of the Nominations Committee for the Ryedale Festival in North Yorkshire, an annual two-week music and performing arts festival. She was also involved in fundraising work for a national charity, Turn2Us. Martha was for many years involved in preparing children and young people for First Holy Communion and Confirmation before moving with her family to North Yorkshire in 2014.  Martha’s husband, Damien, is an old-Amplefordian and their three sons and one daughter were all educated at Ampleforth between 2009 and 2019. She has attended the Triduum Retreat at Ampleforth since 1992 and was closely involved in developing and running the extensive Children’s Liturgy Programme during the Retreat.  Her particular interests include the Rule of St Benedict, contemporary and classical, particularly Baroque, music and long walks with her spaniels.

Independent Chair Sheffield Safeguarding Partnership (Adults and Children). Independent Chair, RNIB Regulatory Services and Safeguarding Committee. Former Independent Chair of Norfolk Safeguarding Children's Partnership and National Chair and Director of Association of Independent Local Safeguarding Children's Boards. Multiple roles for Local Authorities as Chair or Author of Independent Reviews and as a consultant especially on governance, improvement and inspection. School Governor and local authority senior manager of children’s services.

Former Member of Parliament and Minister. Background in business including the City and management consulting. Continues to hold non-executive positions. Former Territorial Army Officer. His political, military and voluntary public service has involved much contact with young people and he serves on the board of two national youth charities. Former school governor.

Michael is a retired Consultant Paediatric Neurologist and Community Paediatrician. He has worked in the NHS for 45 years; 35 as a Consultant. Michael has, primarily, been a clinician but has also had roles in management, training, mentoring, educational supervision and service development.

Director of The Diocese of Leeds, Chair of the Diocesan Safeguarding Commission, Safeguarding Lead for the Congregation of Josephites, Safeguarding Commission Chair Representative on the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission for England and Wales. Experience of safeguarding in education. Former Head of three Catholic secondary schools.

Newly retired Chair of City law firm. 10 years’ experience of strategic leadership and corporate governance to meet changing client and market needs. Chaired the firm's Charitable Foundation and Responsible Business team, which led the firm's work to increase diversity and social mobility, the firm's pro bono work and its contribution to access to justice. Former member of the City of London Law Society, Main Committee and leads the Society's work to improve social mobility in the City.

Deputy Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire and Former High Sheriff. Member Peterborough Keys Academy Trust, Board Member DfE Fenland and East Cambridgeshire Opportunity Area Board, Founder Trustee East Anglian Education Trust, improving social mobility in East Anglia, and Swaffham Prior Community Land Trust. Set up and grew Chelsea Enamels, delivered contemporary Furniture collection for Mallett Antiques. Fundraising experience with many voluntary organisations including: the Fitzwilliam Museum, Addenbrooke's Hospital and East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Business Editor and columnist at the Spectator. Contributor to the Daily Telegraph and Literary Review. Author. Academic Visitor to St Antony's College, Oxford. Former Deputy Chair and Chair of the Finance Committee, Royal Northern College of Music and Trustee and member of Finance and Nominations Committees, Opera North. Former Visiting Research Fellow of York University Management School. Trustee of Helmsley Arts Centre.